Telecommunications equipment or other electronic equipment is typically housed in frames or racks. In each frame, there are typically a plurality of shelves. Each shelf typically has a plurality of receiving stations, each with an open front end for receiving a respective module. Each receiving station typically has a rear with a rear mating connector connected to a backplane of the frame. Each rear mating connector is typically connected to at least one other rear mating connector via the backplane.
Each module typically houses electrical, electronic and/or optical equipment, such as telecommunications equipment. Each module typically has a rear connector at the rear of the module. The rear connector mates with the rear mating connector of the respective receiving station to provide a connection or connections through the backplane to at least one other module. At the front of each module, it is not uncommon for cable mating connectors to be provided for connection by cable connectors to cables extending to other modules in the same frame or in another frame or to other pieces of equipment located exterior to the frame.
However, the cable connectors for mating with the cable mating connectors on the front of the modules are vulnerable to damage either during use or during maintenance as in the later circumstance, the cable connectors tend to be left hanging loosely on their associated cables. Some types of cable connectors (e.g. fibre optic connectors) are more vulnerable to damage than others. Furthermore, many types of cables (such as fibre optic cable) are vulnerable to damage or breakage due to excessive bending. And finally, many types of cable connectors are small and difficult to handle when mating or disconnecting them with the cable mating connectors.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,740 (Dittburners et al.) granted on Jun. 6, 1995, discloses an electronic circuit pack and mounting frame combination in which a mating connector, joined to conductors coming in for connection to the circuit pack, is held within a connector holder for protection and connection purposes. The connector holder is attached to the frame to support the weight of the holder and minimize strain upon the incoming conductors especially when the conductor holder is disconnected from the circuit pack. However, if the conductors (or cables) break, the cable connectors with their respective conductors (or cables) cannot be easily removed (or replaced) from the connector holder.